Mrs_Tiki

Kwis29 and Mr.Kwis, I am loving your live review already! Thank you for taking the time to post. Tiki_Man and I have a cruise booked on Equinox in January, and like you, I have been doing lots of research.

And lucky you to be sailing with Host Anne and Andy, they are the best!

Safe travels!

Happy Birthday, Charla!

We were on Apex for Thanksgiving 2021, so the ship was still at less than half capacity, but there were definitely lots of  families with kids.  Probably not as many as on Royal, but they were there.  Happily, almost all were very well-behaved.

I did want to specifically address your comment about The Retreat.  I inferred that you thought that being in The Retreat would allow you to separate from families and kids.  That was what we thought, but that was certainly not the case on our Thanksgiving cruise or March 2022 Edge cruise during Spring Break.

Even though the ships were well below capacity for both sailings, The Retreat was fully booked, probably due to Move Up bids. On both cruises, Luminae seemed to be bursting at the seams with multigenerational groups, and I suspect that this was a combination of families with kids booked in suites and grandparents in suites paying the upcharge to have non-suite guests  join them for dinner.

Like you, I have nothing against kids, but am looking for a more adult vacation experience.  Did it ruin my cruises to have kids in The Retreat areas with me?  No way, but it just wasn’t what I expected.

I booked online yesterday and experienced some of the glitches described here.  This was the first time that I had to call to get a copy of the booking confirmation document.  Like the OP, the confirmation email that I received only included basic info.

Once I got the booking confirmation, it shows a line item for the Indulge Package upgrade.

If you are Captains Club member, I recommend calling that number.  Hold time on the general number was over 30 minutes.

Thank you so very much for your most informative and entertaining review!  After being away from X for a while, we had most recently sailed on Edge and Apex and wondered if we would be disappointed going back to an older ship.

Your positive review helped me make up my mind to book Equinox for a 9-day in January.  A new ship and new island (Curaçao) for us.  Hooray!

Captains announcement said said something about refueling, but ???Seems like that might have been planned in advance, right?

We are are on Edge currently. Boarded at terminal 29 and have moved to terminal 25 as of 6:45 pm.  Equinox had been at terminal 25 this morning, now moved to 19(not sure)?

in any event, very strange machinations, edge is still tied up at almost 7:00.

Our final payment for 3/12 Apex cruise would have been due tomorrow.  In light of current uncertainty on the ship's ability to call at scheduled ports and the threat of COVID/quarantine, we opted to cancel. We had a great experience making a last minute (< 2 weeks out) booking for Thanksgiving week, so we may try to do the same again when we have a better idea what conditions will be in March.

And yes, we realize that we are very lucky to live within driving distance of the port.  That makes a last-minute booking much more feasible. 

Ken, at the risk of being repetitive, I want to also express my thanks for the time and effort you have put into posting about your experiences and answering questions. After being away from big ships for the past several years, I was second-guessing our decision to book APEX, but your thread has made us excited to board tomorrow!

Hi Ken, I know this is a pretty specific question, but do you know if there were service club meetings (specifically Rotary International) held onboard? 

And thanks for popping by our Roll Call - sorry that you will be departing just as we arrive.  My college friend is on your sailing - look out for Dawn and Johnny from Atlanta who like to dress up on Elegant Chic nights!

A glimmer of hope?

Tiki_Man and I received an email from Sonesta resort in Saint Maarten with a link to updated entry requirements for the island.  (https://stmaartenehas.com/travel-requirements/)  Basically, the new news is that your must have negative COVID test result 120 hours prior to the departure of the last leg of your travel to Saint Maarten instead of 72 hours.  

This is pure speculation (and hope!) on our part, but might this pave the way for a return of SDII to the Caribbean this winter?  Would love to hear the thoughts of this group, particularly of those who are connected to SD. 😉

Even if this is a pie in the sky idea, it is nice to have hope of a return to the TOYB sooner rather than later!

20 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

Andreas, thanks for the communication.  We all are frustrated and awash in daily speculation all over the various media.  The only thing I know for certain is that this problem will end just as every one before it and wars and all sorts of problems eventually do.  I wish SeaDream and all the crew well and am hoping for the day when I can be on the Pool Deck anchored off Jost van Dyke.  Again, thanks for communicating.

Well said Jim!  I agree wholeheartedly!

Hello,

Tiki_Man's more obsessive compulsive half here!  We are looking forward to boarding SDII is Marigot on Saturday, but have never sailed from this port before.  (Our 2017 Thanksgiving cruise was rerouted to sail from Antigua due to Hurricane Irma.)

Do any of you SD veterans have any pro tips for us?  We will be staying at Sonesta Ocean Point, so will taxi over to Marigot, but where to go from there?

Many thanks in advance!

Mary 

On 2/17/2019 at 9:46 AM, Zimmy said:

 

A number of years ago, when SD was first venturing into electronic communications, they offered a discount to those who were willing to accept e-docs for their voyage. We opted in at that time. However, there is no longer any discount, and no financial advantage to us (only to SD) to receive the e-docs. Consequently, last year we contacted our TA and asked her to request the box for future cruises. It is so much more fun!

I agree and will make this request for future voyages.  Thanks for the info, Zimmy!

Does this vary between TAs?  We have only received emailed paperwork to print and sign ourselves.

On 1/27/2019 at 7:15 PM, piratelooksat45 said:

We're onboard in 4 weeks, I never get a massage onboard because I can't bring myself to leave the pool and sun. I'll let you know which ones my family liked after we sail. At least one day, they usually do short massages by the pool - which is my idea of heaven! You'll love SeaDream, it's really something unique and special!

 

Pirate, are you on the SD1 March 2 sailing?  If so, we will see you onboard!

Our TA's package of perks always includes a spa credit, so I just have to force myself to go to the spa each trip. 😉

I have enjoyed the aromatherapy and deep tissue massages, but would not repeat the traditional Thai massage.  My fault for not knowing what it entailed - the therapist climbed on my back and used her knees (and feet too, I think!) to work on my back.  For me, it crossed the line to pain, and I almost asked her to stop.  Thankfully, it transitioned to a more typical massage for the second half!

The spa therapists are so nice and eager to please.  I look forward to spending time in the spa when we are on SD 1 next month!

I had to consult with Tiki_Man on this one, because he is the earlier riser prone to get a cup of coffee and wander the decks while I get dressed in the morning.  He notes that on our previous SD sailings, the published 9:00 time was when tender service to the port commenced.  He recalls that ships were generally still underway until 8:00-ish.

Also, he reports that coffee is usually available at TOY Bar starting at 6:00--6:30, if you would like to be caffeinated for your morning wanderings!

Lookimg forward to sailing with you!

Fantastic!  We can't wait!  It will just be my husband and me this trip, celebrating a week away from work. :)

Y'all have picked a great way to celebrate, looking forward to meeting your group.

Which sailing are you considering? We are on March 2 on SDI embarking in STT and disembarking in SJU. Would love it if you are sailing with us!

BTW, if "OKC" is what I think it is, I was born at St. Anthony's Hospital!

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Thanks for the info. I am really not too bothered with the cabin we have now, but will still hope to improve our lie!

And no, we will not be in St. Thomas pre-cruise. We will fly direct from ATL to STT on embarkation day. (Not my favorite plan, but work schedules require!)

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Anyone sailing with us?

And does anyone have experience with staterooms convertible to Commodore Suites set up as regular cabins? Does the removable wall effectively block noise, or is it like being in a hotel room with connecting door?

Our TA has waitlisted us for a regular stateroom, but just in case would like to know what to expect.

I am sure we will have another wonderful SD cruise no matter where we end up!

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We did the 10-day Itinerary for our 25th in 2013 and would definitely suggest the longer cruise, since you will be flying half way around the world to get there. We had booked the night before at IC Tahiti through PG and were upgraded to an OWB. Wish that we had been able to enjoy it for more than 12 hours. Even for such a short time, it was a fabulous experience!

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We have been to Isla Passion twice, both on ship excursions. One time was by "motor catamaran", which was essentially a large ferry boat. The other was by Twister boat, which was a high speed thrill ride leaving everyone soaked! (The ride back to the ship was not so fun for those who had over indulged in beverages!)

We loved the beach, food and drink at Isla Passion, but have switched to Nachi Cocum for our most recent visits to Cozumel. IMHO it's just as nice, but cheaper and much easier to get to!

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The .woman in Cabin 10 is a mystery/thriller set on a small ultra-luxury ship. I enjoyed it, but it is surely not representative of a typical cruise experience!

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